Little Explorers

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Caring staff greet children on arrival at this welcoming nursery.

Children show friendliness to one another and are eager to see their peers. Staff build positive relationships with children and get to know families very well. For example, they find out about children's likes and dislikes before they start.

Staff use this information to prepare resources that appeal to children's specific interests. This helps children to settle quickly and feel safe and secure in the environment. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour.

They help children to understand the rules and boundaries of the nursery by ...establishing these from the start. Children respond well to requests and instructions from staff, who give positive praise and recognition of achievement. Children are eager to please the warm and friendly staff.

They display positive behaviour and are respectful to each other. Children make good progress in their learning. Staff plan an ambitious curriculum with activities to encourage children to be curious and have a positive attitude to their learning.

For example, they set up toys and resources to appeal to children of all ages. Staff skilfully question children to find out what they know and can do. Children stay at activities for long periods of time and are very engaged.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

Children have a wealth of activities to choose from and the curriculum appeals to children of varied ages and stages of development. Staff plan themes that relate to the seasons. For example, children explore the smell of real flowers.

They dip them in coloured water and enjoy investigating different textures and varied sensory experiences during their play.Staff set up quiet areas in the hall to help children to manage their feelings and behaviour. Staff encourage children to identify what they are feeling and how their actions may have an influence on others.

Children learn strategies to express how they are feeling towards others. For example, children learn to 'use their words' instead of reacting physically. This helps children to begin to learn how to self-regulate and understand right from wrong.

Staff provide positive interactions for children's learning. For example, they pick up on children's interests and help them to find resources to enhance their play. On some occasions, however, staff do not consistently use opportunities to teach new concepts or to challenge children's learning even further.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have good support from staff. They have individual and targeted support for their learning, which helps to close gaps in development. Staff build links with external professionals who are involved in children's care as well as establishing strong partnerships with parents.

This supports high levels of continuity for children's care and learning.Staff promote early literacy and mathematics through everyday activities. For example, children have access to a wide range of books.

They recognise that print has meaning and attempt to tell stories by using picture cues. At snack time, even the youngest children identify their own name labels and present them to staff to tell them that they are ready to eat. They are encouraged to count objects in their play and overhear the use of positional language, such as 'over' and 'under'.

Staff regularly provide a variety of meaningful opportunities for children to gain experience in their local community. For example, children visit the shops and nearby library. They can identify similarities and differences between themselves and their peers and can say what makes them unique.

However, in some areas of the nursery, there is less opportunity to encourage children's curiosity to learn about diversity and culture in the wider world.Staff speak positively about the manager and say that they are well supported. Regular supervisions and team meetings help staff to feel valued and content in their role.

The team works well together to constantly reflect and improve their practise. Staff are given the opportunity to complete training and then implement suggested strategies within the nursery. This helps to improve the quality of the service that they provide.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to strengthen their teaching strategies to consistently best support children's learning provide opportunities for children to learn about the diverse lives of people with backgrounds and cultures that are different to their own.